OUR LOVELY LAUNCHES...

It's official and it's out! Gull Stones and Cuckoos has been launched at events in Watton, Gorleston and Swaffham, hosted by the three local libraries.  Here are some of the readers.

WATTON

M.C. Gardner at Watton

Jayne Winterbone

Nichola Lovell

Gill Ashton

It has always been a special project and the launch events just seemed to bring out the unique warmth and supportive ethos of the groups even more.  The community librarians supporting Rural Writes have been marvellous, especially Kathryn Jennings who oversaw both Watton and Swaffham - but everyone involved in the project has given time, energy and goodwill. This project has been generously supported by the Arts Council and Norfolk County Council.  This project illustrates how creative libraries are, how critical they can be for creating material change in the heart of rural communities. Women have discovered new things about themselves, developed their skills, made new and lasting friendships and had that adventure of writing and publication.

GORLESTON

Hilary Hanbury at Gorleton

Jane Rudd

Our first launch was in a very well-attended Watton - just as many of the women were first time writers, almost all of the writers had never read in public before  either - but it would have been hard to tell.  Gorleston brought in some surprise audience members mesmerised by what was going on next door to their meeting, Swaffham was packed.  It was really inspiring.  It takes courage to write about your life and then read it publicly and so our Rural Writes women are all brave. The proceeds from the sale of books will all go back to the libraries to continue to support the women's groups. 

The book is out but this isn't the end of the project - the beauty of the experience lies in the continued existence of the groups, all of which are continuing to meet, all the women are continuing to write and their first masterclasses with a poet and novelist will start in November and early December. Their work will feature on this blog over the coming year.  Please come back and read their words. 

Cynthia Gallogo

Lyn McKinney

SWAFFHAM

Julia Howarth

Leah Spencer

Jurgita Stipiniene

Camilla Balshaw

Katrina Stockdale

Charlie Dearden

Larie Danson

Rhonda Peake

Text of the press release going out about our lovely launches...

NORFOLK LIBRARIES AND WORDS AND WOMEN LAUNCH GULL STONES AND CUCKOOS – A BOOK OF CONTEMPORARY RURAL LIFE WRITING.

An anthology of compelling and passionate stories, Gull Stones and Cuckoos is to be launched in three local libraries in Norfolk this October; celebrating the results of a unique creative opportunity for women living in rural and coastal communities.

The anthology has grown out of Rural Writes, a partnership between Norfolk Library and Information Service and Words and Women supported by Arts Council England. Women of all ages and backgrounds from Gorleston, Watton and Swaffham were invited to attend 10 weeks of life-writing sessions in their local libraries led by two professional writers, Belona Greenwood, co-organiser of Words and Women and award-winning poet, Heidi Williamson.

The result, illustrated by Rose Cowan and edited by Lynne Bryan and Belona Greenwood is a bold, honest and vivid narrative of local lives. Published by Unthank Books, it tells of lost halls, early morning walks, stillness, fairy-light skies, telescopes on allotments, the loneliness of grief and the adventure of new places in rural Norfolk. The writers in this book are new to writing but their stories and observations are compellingly authentic.

The collection will be available to borrow from all Norfolk's libraries and to buy. 

‘This project shows how vital libraries are in bringing communities and people together.  The women who joined were strangers until they signed up to try their hand at writing. They have made friends, supported and inspired each other. The book itself, is fantastic but the fact the women’s writing groups are continuing is enormously important and heart-warming’ said Belona Greenwood from Words and Women

The book launches will take place in Watton Library at 6.00 pm on October 26^th, Gorleston Library, 6.30 pm on the 27^th and Swaffham Library, 6.30 pm on the 28^th,

Rural Writes doesn’t end with the book, all three writing groups continue to meet in their local libraries and to post on the Rural Writes blog.

www.ruralwrites.blogspot.co.uk

Launching Soon...

Next week it's launch time...three libraries, three events and compelling prose...

Our first event kicks off in Watton at 6 pm in the library on 26th October. Gorleston on the

27th at 6.30 pm  - and finally, Swaffham on Friday 28th.

Watch this space for news.....meanwhile here's the blurb on the back of the book...

Gull Stones and Cuckoos is a clear-eyed, passionate and honest book of life-writing about contemporary country living in Norfolk.

Lost halls, early morning walks, stillness, fairy-light skies, telescopes on allotments, the loneliness of grief and the adventure of new places in rural Norfolk. The writers in this book are new to writing but their stories and observations are compellingly authentic.

This book has grown out of an Arts Council England project, Rural Writes, a partnership between Norfolk Library and Information Service and Words and Women.

Contributions from: Gill Ashton, Camilla Balshaw, Chanel Richenda Carlyon, Enid Clarke, Larie Danson, Charlie Dearden, Cynthia Gallogo, M.C.  Gardner, Jan Godfrey, M.B.E., Hilary Hanbury, Julia Howarth, Nichola Lovell, Lyn Mckinnon, Rhonda Peak, Maxine Robertson, Jane Rudd, Leah Spencer, Jurgita Stipiniene, Katrina Stockdale and Jayne Winterbone.